True Bias 4101: Hudson Pants

 

These have to be the ultimate weekend pants, they are just so relaxed and comfy. I've been wanting a pair of casual trackies for a while and it came between these ones and the StyleArc Shelby pair. But it was this review of the 3/4 ones by Cookin' & Craftin' that made me download the pattern straight away!

 We are off to Japan this year (!!!!!!) so I've been quizzing my daughter about what everyone wears and flicking through the La Farfa magazine she brought me back after her student exchange last year. The biggest thing that's stood out to me is that you don't see many women wearing tight leggings, Amber took some over for sports and said she was the only one wearing them. So I'm on the hunt for comfy pants that I can walk in around Japan, wear to the Karate seminar we are attending and still look neat but that are a looser fit than I might wear normally.

These fit the bill perfectly and I plan on making many more :)

Pattern details;
I graded up to a sz 20 (my fabric has bugger all stretch in it)
Scooped out the front crotch curve
Added 2" of rise to the centre back, grading down to nothing at the side seams. I did this by 3 horizontal cut and spreads like what is shown in this great post (number 9 of alterations).

Fabric:
The main fabric is a terry that I got at a garage sale. The black highlights are a Ponte from Spotlight.

 



I love the pocket details, I added some topstitching to keep the bulky seam under control.

Anyway, great pattern with a couple of adjustments and really quick and easy to sew.

Simplicity 1783: pants

 

They may be boring, basic and black but I live in cropped pants at work over spring/summer. So while I had this pattern out for the denim skirt I thought I'd make up the pants too.

Not much to say, I've made these a couple of times before (1 and 2).

Pattern details;
Size 18
Pull-on waistband
Added pockets to the front and back.
Took the legs in for a more fitted look.
Added cuffs with a side split as I ran out of fabric and the legs were too short. Used this tutorial for the side splits

Fabric Details;
Bengalene from Spotlight

Pattern Testing: SBCC 329 - Pinot Pants

I'm really enjoying SBCC patterns at the moment - the whole style seems to suit what I wear and how I live. I mean I love jackets and beautiful dresses but I mostly live in pull-on pants or jeans and t-shirts!

These are a basic pull-on pant with an elastic waist. They have a straightish leg. My TNT pattern for a pull on pant is my Style arc Palazzo pants. These have a straighter leg and fit closer through the thigh.




Pattern details:
Size 1XL
Added 3" to length
Scooped out front and back crotch by 1/2"
Dropped front rise 1"

Fabric its a poly ponte from Lincraft










I found the fit really good straight out of the pattern, my ponte was pretty stretchy so I made a 1XL instead of the 2XL I am in the measurement chart.
The pattern has you stretch the inner leg seams to fit, I had to press mine a lot to get rid of the ripples, the ponte I used was the cheap stuff from Lincraft though so I tend to think it was the fabric causing me issues not the pattern.

These are now my favourite work pants and once I find some nicer ponte I'll be making more.

More pants fitting posts for the Curvy Sewing Collective

I've done a couple more posts for the CSC and thought I would link them here.

Creating an stretch pants block

Using an stretch pants block

Creating a pocket stay

Let me know if they aren't clear enough!

McCalls 6707: Tuxedo capri's



I always seem to need cropped work pants for warmer days, it seems to be a staple I am always sewing! I got this pattern at the last big Spotlight sale, its one of the fashion star patterns (I haven't watched that show I have to admit). I've had a mixed run with the fashion star patterns but I can class this one as a win.

 

Pattern Details:

View A
Size 22
Dropped front rise 2"
Raised rear 1"
Changed the waistband to a folded over band
Added 2" to the calf as a hyperextended calf adjustment.






On that last adjustment - I made my first pair which fit fine through the waist/hips but my calves were pulling the side seams backwards terribly. I did a hyperextended calf adjustment like Cation Design showed here to fix it.

 

The first pair I also did a proper zipper fly and button like the pattern directs you to, but the benglene I used was so stretchy I could pull them on without using the zipper so the final pair I left off the fly and just did a basic pull on waistband.

 

The main fabric is a pinstriped bengaline from Darn Cheap fabrics in Melbourne and the black is either from Spotlight or Lincraft (I tend to stockpile it when its on sale).

I haven't made a tuxedo style pant before and its pretty easy, I did think about changing the front pockets as a slant pocket always gapes on me but left them alone as they do seem to suit the style of the pant.

This seems to be a pretty good pattern - everything fit together fine and I made less adjustments than usual which is always good!

KwikSew 3988: Yoga pants

More gym pants!



Kwik Sew 3988
 

I made view B with the legs shortened to just under my knee.

I'm not really sure what to say about this pattern - I am happy with the end product but the pattern itself was kind of weirdly drafted and the instructions were littered with spelling mistakes......


So the good things are: I like the way the waistband is constructed, it feels firm when done and I like the addition of elastic to the seam to stabilise it. I also like the design elements of the 2 piece waistband and the topstitching. I like how the waistband is finished and I like the shape of the legs.

The bad things are: Terrible crotch shape, the front barely has a curve. Here's a photo of the front pattern piece - the black lines are the original pattern and the red lines are my changes;

The back isn't much better either

Agreeably I normally have to add to the inner leg seam but the sizing is way off too. Going by the measurement chart the size XL should have been too small (I'm 39" waist and the XL is for a 37" waist) but I took about 7" from the waist measurement and it now fits me fine. I really should have started with a medium and added to the inner leg length but a Medium is meant to be for a 29" waist....

The fabric is from the clearance table at spotlight - its a cotton spandex and isn't too bad a quality, nice and stretchy with good recovery and even though its quite thin its not clingy or shiny.

So a bit of a mixed review, I will be making it again since I've adjusted it now but I wouldn't recommend it unless you are happy to make a muslin and do some fitting. Honestly if you are looking for a good yoga pant I would say the Style Arc becky yoga pant is miles better.

Fitting pants for the Curvy Sewing Collective

You may have seen a bit of a blogger buzz about a new website called The Curvy Sewing Collective. Its a new website ran by a great group of sewing bloggers with pattern reviews, fitting advice and general sewing and confidence advice, aimed at a plus size body shape.

I've written a few posts for the site now, mostly focussing on fitting and sewing the Fehr Trade Duathlon leggings.

Activewear 101: Patterns and Fabric

Activewear 101: Leggings 1- Fitting

Activewear 101: Leggings 2 - Pattern adjustments

Activewear 101: Leggings 3 - Sewing

The site is skewed towards more curvier sizes but I do think a fitting adjustment is the same no matter what your size. So please check it out and hopefully you might find some of the articles helpful next time you are doing a fitting.

Simplicity 1783 - Pants

 

We have been having a heatwave lately, had the hottest day on record a couple of weeks ago. I've never been so thankful to work in an airconditioned office! But it means I need more hot weather pants to wear.

Its funny how sometimes we find a TNT early on and don't appreciate it until we try different patterns! I actually muslined up the StyleArc Tori pant first but found the fit on the legs was terrible on me, my legs must curve in a lot and the Tori pant curves out so they got chucked and out came this pattern again.

Same as last time, I cut about a sz 24 adjusted with my pants block and the fabric is bengaline from Lincraft. I got rid of the waistband and instead used a fold over waistband. They fit really well and are so comfy to wear!

I added pockets on but since I'd raised the back height they are way too low, I used steam a seam before I topstitched though so those suckers are staying put! I've changed the pattern for next time to raise them buy a couple of inches.

I got a bit happy with the iron too and you can see press marks, they should disappear after a wash or two (hopefully)

Jalie 2445: Fleece trackpants

Not very glamorous or very exciting but you cannot beat a comfy warm pair of fleece trackpants when the weather is getting colder. I wore them all day today (excuse the wrinkles and bits of thread all over them!) and they were the ultimate comfy trackie dacks.

I have an old pair of Bonds trackpants that I use for painting now but they are a very similar pant so I copied the pockets from them. They are an inseam pocket with the back fleece and the front a thinner interlock to cut down on bulk and they have the top of the pockets sewn into the waistband.

I should have interfaced the pocket opening because they really started to stretch/stand out out so I unpicked some of the topstitching and threaded through elastic and restitched the ends. It makes them look a bit buckled when lying flat but make them sit nice and flat against my legs when I'm wearing them.

The pattern says to use self fabric for the waistband but again I copied my old Bonds ones and used ribbing, left off the tie and added elastic.

I got the fleece from Lincraft (they had a big fleece sale this week). I've never gotten fleece from there before so I'm not sure how it will wear but I figure fleece is pretty indestructible.

I went up a size or two because the fleece isn't overly stretchy and cut a sz EE. I used my pants block to adjust them, I had to increase the back rise but that was it on the back pattern piece and the front had some added to the sides and the waistband sides raised up too plus I had to scoop out the crotch more. The original fit was exactly the same as my old Bonds ones but they always drove me nuts because of how low they were! They are a pretty wide, straight leg pant not really what I'd class as a yoga pant but maybe if you made them from a stretchier fabric they would be.

The pattern is OOP now, but you can get it as a download from here